First Impressions: Ray Wise debuts as Ian Ward on 'The Young and the Restless'

Last Thursday, veteran television actor made his debut on The Young and the Restless in the recurring role of Ian Ward, the former cult leader who impregnated Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott) with Dylan McAvoy (Steve Burton). While the plot that revealed Dylan as Nikki's son was dreadful, it seems has though head writers Shelly Altman and Jean Passanante have a handle on things now. Ian first appeared as a surprise to Nikki, when she came home and he was there.

In just the few scenes we saw last week, Wise's eery portrayal of Ian completely won me over. He had just a few lines, but he totally has the feel of a hypnotizing psycho who brainwashes lost teenagers. Fans have been complaining for months that the writers at Y&R have no respect to the show's history. While making Dylan Nikki's son does seem completely stupid and forced, introducing Ian is finally playing out a part of a longtime character's history that was never fully explored.

Wise's introduction as Ian is certainly more interesting than the never-ending Carmine Basco murder saga, which doesn't seem to be drawing to a close anytime soon. Sigh. I don't wanna speak too soon, but I predict a great, creepy storyline ahead for us. Maybe Ian will take Fen Baldwin (Max Ehrich) or Summer Newman (Hunter King) under his wing and history will repeat itself? Catch The Young and the Restless weekdays on CBS.